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The goal was just to make some good booze. Bartender Brenton Engel was cooking up moonshine that gained such a level of cult popularity it inspired him to start Letherbee — an independent artisan distillery.Read More —

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AUTUMNAL 2016

Rumor has it that borscht was invented during the Russo-Turkish war as an economical way to feed four thousand Cossacks during the two-month siege of Azov fortress in southern Russia. Regardless of origin, the hearty, sour soup has since become popular in several, Eastern European countries including, most notably, the Ukraine whose beetroot based version has become widely associated with the name. Not to mention, furthermore, that it served as the primary inspiration for the fifth installment in our Autumnal series: our flagship gin made with beets, dill, black pepper, caraway and cumin. Subtle nose, grassy, almost like an open field after a rainstorm. Black pepper is upfront imparting woody, piney notes and a tinge of heat on the tongue. The body is clean, remarkably smooth with an earthy flavor lingering in the background. The finish offers hints of citrus and sweet anise before fading into a pleasant warmth. Try it neat or louched first and then, in a Bloody Mary, Hanky Panky or Dry Martini. The 2016 Autumnal Gin is bottled at 96 proof and was made in a limited run of 2,500 bottles.

Letherbee unites with R. Franklin for a refined rendition of BËSK —a relatively obscure yet locally infamous Swedish liqueur dominated by wormwood. The violently bitter shot initially hits with flavors of grapefruit before an onslaught of wormwood alongside earthy gentian root — an effect that lingers on the palate for quite a surprising while. Beneath the acrid din of the more acute tasting notes rests more gentle traces of juniper, star anise, and elderflower musk. Bottled at 100 proof, Letherbee’s BËSK remains an esoteric shot for adventurous drinkers, but the bitter liqueur can be gracefully incorporated into sophisticated cocktails.

Few gins unfold like Letherbee’s flagship tipple, distilled by hand with a clean yet robust blend of 11 botanicals. Juniper spearheads a mélange of spices, including coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon, while cubeb berries evoke a touch of pepper and a hint of ginger in the finish. Lemon and orange peel lend the dry, balanced concoction a bit of room for keen drinkers to pick up subtle notes of licorice and almond. At 96 proof,Letherbee Gin shines in all contexts, whether sipped straight, louched with a few drops of water until slightly cloudy, or mixed in a cocktail.

Letherbee’s freshly refined take on the signature digestif is smooth, perhaps startlingly so. The prominence of saffron evokes popular Fernets, but supporting notes of rhubarb root and myrrh gum scaffold the palate as to not let bitter notes overpower. Spearmint and eucalyptus lend a subtle, pleasant mentholated finish. Given Letherbee’s penchant for balanced flavors, this Fernet is versatile—shoot it, sip it after a meal, add it to coffee, or mix it in a complex cocktail.

Letherbee’s Barrel-Aged Absinthe draws its caramel hue from a six-month stint in new, full-sized, charred, American oak casks. A straightforward white absinthe recipe mellows in the aging process, softening the anise notes to let sumptuous floral and spice layers resonate. Besides the color, the full-sized barrels also imbue the Absinthe Brun with toasty hints of vanilla and caramel. Bottled at 126 proof, the spirit-forward drink is an addictive sipper that can also add depth to a variety of cocktails.

Letherbee’s freshly refined take on the signature digestif is smooth, perhaps startlingly so. The prominence of saffron evokes popular Fernets, but supporting notes of rhubarb root and myrrh gum scaffold the palate as to not let bitter notes overpower. Spearmint and eucalyptus lend a subtle, pleasant mentholated finish. Given Letherbee’s penchant for balanced flavors, this Fernet is versatile—shoot it, sip it after a meal, add it to coffee, or mix it in a complex cocktail.

Few gins unfold like Letherbee’s flagship tipple — a Chicago-made, grain-neutral spirit distilled by hand with a clean yet robust blend of 11 botanicals. Juniper berries spearhead a mélange of spices, including coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon, while cubeb berries evoke a touch of pepper and a hit of ginger in the finish. Dried lemon peel and orange pith lend the dry, balanced concoction a bit of room for keen drinkers to pick up subtle notes of licorice and almond. At 96 proof, Letherbee Gin shines in all contexts, whether sipped straight, louched with a few drops of water until slightly cloudy, or mixed in a refined cocktail.

Taking cues from Eclectic Medicine and herbal remedies, R.Franklin awakens Letherbee's 2016 Vernal Gin into a golden sunrise of chamomile and honey. Slight sweetness is tempered by lemon and mandarin orange peel while milky grass hurls itself upward from a bed of the winter's decay. Himalayan sea salt echos the brine of Muscadet. It all hangs on the backbone of Echinacea root and Letherbee's Original Gin botanicals. This batch was finished on April 29 and yields 235 cases.